In this article, the author features Virginia, a state of contrasts--from the suburbs of Washington, District of Columbia, in northern Virginia to the Great Dismal Swamp in the south and from the scenic mountaintops in the west to the beachside resorts along its eastern shore. Virginia became a state in 1788, the tenth state to join the Union. Virginia's complex story is closely tied to the story of the United States, but it also has several chapters all its own. The author discusses the state's geography, its tidewater, Piedmont and the mountain and valley regions of Virginia. A brief history of Virginia is included.